KR20180092864A - Method and apparatus for determining energy availability for a haptic-enabled device and for conserving energy by selecting between a braking and non-braking mode - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a haptic-enabled device comprising: a haptic actuator; an energy storage device configured to provide energy to the haptic actuator; and a control unit communicatively coupled to the haptic actuator. The control unit may be configured to determine an energy availability level for the haptic-enabled device. The determination is based on an energy level of the energy storage device or an energy usage rate thereof. The control unit may further be configured to determine an energy saving setting for the haptic-enabled device based on at least one of (i) an energy availability level and (ii) an input received by the haptic-enabled device for controlling the energy saving setting. The control unit may be configured to determine whether to generate a haptic effect in a braking mode or in a non-braking mode based on the energy saving setting.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING ENERGY AVAILABILITY FOR A HAPTIC-AVAILABLE DEVICE AND FOR SELECTING BETWEEN BINDING AND NON-BREAKING MODES AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENERGY SAVING SELECTING BETWEEN A BRAKING AND NON-BRAKING MODE}

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for using or disabling braking based on energy saving settings and has applications in user interfaces, games, automobiles, wearable devices, and consumer electronics.

Electronic device manufacturers strive to produce a rich interface for their users. Many devices use visual and auditory cues to provide feedback to the user. In some interface devices, kinesthetic effects (e.g., active and resistive force feedback) and / or tactile effects (e.g., vibration) are also provided to the user. Kinesthetic effects and tactile effects may be more commonly referred to as "haptic feedback" or "haptic effects. &Quot; Haptic feedback can provide cues that enhance and simplify the user interface. For example, vibrational effects, vibrotactile haptic effects may provide users of electronic devices with cues to notify the user of certain events, or provide realistic feedback to generate a larger sensory immersion within the simulated or virtual environment It can be useful.

To generate haptic effects, many devices use actuators. Exemplary actuators (also referred to as haptic actuators) for generating haptic effects include an eccentric rotational mass ("ERM") actuator in which an eccentric mass is moved by a motor, and a linear resonant actuator "LRA"). Other actuators are actuators that use "smart materials ", such as piezoelectric materials, electro-active polymers, or shape memory alloys. To generate a haptic effect, a drive signal may be applied to the haptic actuator.

The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention or the application and uses of the invention. Also, there is no intention to be bound by any of the explicit or implied theories presented in the foregoing description, background, brief summary, and the following detailed description.

One aspect of embodiments of the present disclosure relates to a haptic-capable device including a haptic actuator, an energy storage device, and a control unit. The haptic actuator is configured to generate a haptic effect. The energy storage device is configured to provide energy to the haptic actuator for generating a haptic effect. Wherein the control unit is communicatively coupled to the haptic actuator and configured to determine an energy availability level for the haptic-capable device, the energy availability level representing a level of energy available for the haptic- The future time period is calculated or predetermined by the control unit, and the determination is based on the energy level of the energy storage device or its energy use rate. The control unit is further configured to determine an energy saving setting for the haptic-capable device based on at least one of (i) an energy availability level, and (ii) an input received by the haptic- . The control unit is further configured to determine, based on the energy saving setting, whether to generate the haptic effect in the braking mode or in the non-braking mode. In response to the determination to generate the haptic effect in the braking mode, the control unit communicates a first drive signal to the haptic actuator to generate a haptic effect, the first drive signal comprising a drive pulse having a drive segment preceding the brake segment . In response to the determination to generate the haptic effect in the non-braking mode, the control unit communicates a second drive signal to the haptic actuator to generate a haptic effect, the second drive signal having a drive segment only, Includes non-driving pulses.

In an embodiment, when the crystal is made to produce a haptic effect in the braking mode, the control unit is further configured to include a kick-in segment in the drive segment of the drive pulse of the first drive signal, Is a pulse segment at the beginning of the drive segment and having a higher amplitude than the rest of the drive segment.

In an embodiment, when the crystal is made to produce a haptic effect in the non-braking mode, the control unit is further configured to refrain from including any kick-in segments in the drive segment of the drive pulse.

In an embodiment, the control unit is configured to generate (i) the intensity of the drive segment of the drive pulse of the first or second drive signal used to generate the haptic effect, and (ii) And the duration of the drive segment of the drive pulse of the first or second drive signal used to drive the drive circuit.

In an embodiment, the control unit is configured to generate a haptic effect for simulating a texture, and the control unit is configured to control a complexity level of the texture to be simulated by the haptic effect based on the energy saving setting.

In an embodiment, the control unit is configured to apply a plurality of drive pulses to the haptic actuator in their respective first or second drive signals, and the control unit controls, based on the energy saving setting, To control the total number of drive pulses to be applied to the scan electrodes.

In an embodiment, the haptic actuator is one of a plurality of haptic actuators of the haptic-enabled device, and the control unit is further configured to select a haptic actuator from among the plurality of haptic actuators to generate a haptic effect, Setting.

In an embodiment, the haptic effect is generated in response to an event being perceived by the control unit to trigger a haptic effect, and the control unit is configured to control which events trigger the haptic effect based on the energy saving setting.

In an embodiment, the haptic-capable device is configured to receive communications associated with respective user identities, and configured to execute a communication application processing communications as communications events, and when the energy saving settings have a first value, Wherein the unit is configured to recognize all communication events associated with any user identity to trigger a haptic effect, and when the energy saving setting has a second value, the control unit is configured to detect a determined set of one or more user identities And ignore all other communication events to determine whether to trigger the haptic effect.

In an embodiment, the haptic-enabled device is configured to execute a game application, and when the energy saving setting has a first value, the control unit is configured to recognize a first event and a second event in the game application to trigger a haptic effect When the energy saving setting has a second value, the control unit is configured to recognize a first event for triggering a haptic effect and to ignore a second event for determining whether to trigger the haptic effect, Is associated with a higher priority level than the second event in the game application profile stored on the haptic-capable device.

In an embodiment, the control unit is configured to determine an energy availability level based further on an estimated availability level of any external energy source for providing energy to the energy storage device of the haptic-capable device within a future time period.

In an embodiment, the control unit is configured to determine (i) the geographic location of the haptic-capable device, (ii) the travel speed of the haptic-capable device, and (iii) Based on at least one of an amount of time and an amount of time.

In an embodiment, the control unit is configured to determine, based on the geographic location of the haptic-capable device, whether the haptic-enabled device is in an outdoor location or an indoor location, and wherein the haptic- Based on whether or not the haptic-capable device is in the haptic-enabled device.

In an embodiment, the control unit is configured to determine whether the haptic-enabled device is at a home position or a rectal position, based on the geographical location of the haptic enabled device, and wherein the haptic- Based on whether or not the energy storage device of the haptic-capable device is capable of providing energy to the energy storage device of the haptic-capable device.

One aspect of embodiments of the present disclosure relates to a haptic-capable device including a haptic actuator, an energy storage device, and a control unit. The haptic actuator is configured to generate a haptic effect. The energy storage device is configured to provide energy to the haptic actuator for generating a haptic effect. The control unit is communicatively coupled to the haptic actuator and configured to determine an energy availability level for the haptic-capable device, the energy availability level representing a level of energy available for the haptic- (i) an energy level of the energy storage device or its energy utilization rate, and (ii) an estimated availability level of any external energy source for providing energy to the haptic-capable device within a future time period , The future time period is calculated or predetermined by the control unit. The control unit is further configured to determine an energy saving setting for the haptic-capable device based on at least one of (i) an energy availability level, and (ii) an input received by the haptic- . The control unit is further configured to control the generation of the haptic effect in the haptic-enabled device based on the energy saving setting.

In an embodiment, the control unit is configured to determine (i) the geographic location of the haptic-capable device, (ii) the travel speed of the haptic-capable device, and (iii) The device is configured to determine an estimated availability level of any external energy source for providing energy to the haptic-capable device based on at least one of the amount of time and the amount of time.

In an embodiment, the control unit is configured to determine, based on the geographic location of the haptic-enabled device, whether the haptic-enabled device is in an outdoor location or an indoor location, Location of an external energy source based on the estimated availability level of the external energy source.

In an embodiment, the control unit is configured to determine, based on the geographic location of the haptic enabled device, whether the haptic-enabled device is in a home position or a rectal position, and wherein the haptic- Based on the presence or absence of an external energy source.

In an embodiment, the control unit determines, based on the energy saving setting, (i) the availability of the haptic effect within a future time period, (ii) the intensity of the drive segment of the drive pulse of the drive signal used to generate the haptic effect, (iii) controlling the generation of a haptic effect in the haptic-capable device by controlling at least one of a duration of a drive segment of a drive pulse of the drive signal used to generate the haptic effect.

In an embodiment, the haptic actuator is one of a plurality of haptic actuators in a haptic-enabled device, and the haptic-capable device comprises a plurality of actuators each representing an energy usage behavior of a respective haptic actuator of the plurality of haptic actuators Profiles and the control unit is configured to control the generation of the haptic effect by selecting which of the plurality of haptic actuators is to be used to generate the haptic effect based on the energy saving settings and the actuator profiles.

In an embodiment, the control unit is configured to control haptic effect generation by controlling which events trigger the haptic effect, based on energy saving settings.

The features, objects, and advantages of the embodiments of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description in which reference will be made to the accompanying drawings.

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of embodiments of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, illustrate the inventive principles and serve to enable those skilled in the art to make and use the invention. The drawings do not scale.
IA is a diagram of a system including a haptic-enabled device and external energy sources, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
1B is a block diagram of components of a haptic-enabled device, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a flow chart illustrating steps of a method for generating a haptic effect, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Figures 3a-3d each illustrate a drive signal having at least one drive pulse, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figures 3e and 3f illustrate waveforms representing haptic effects on a haptic-enabled device, according to embodiments of the present invention.
Figures 4A and 4B illustrate drive signals including braking segments, according to embodiments of the present invention.
Figures 5A and 5B illustrate drive signals omitting brake segments according to embodiments of the present invention.
Figures 6A and 6B illustrate waveforms representing haptic effects in a haptic-enabled device, according to embodiments of the present invention.
7 is a flow chart illustrating steps of a method for controlling haptic effect generation, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention or the application and uses of the invention. Also, there is no intention to be bound by any of the explicit or implied theories presented in the foregoing description, background, brief summary, and the following detailed description.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to adapting a haptic effect generated by a haptic-enabled device (e.g., a mobile device) based on whether the haptic-enabled device needs to conserve energy. When a haptic-enabled device determines that it needs to conserve energy, it can adjust the drive signal used to generate the haptic effect. The drive signal may comprise one or more drive pulses, and may include at least one of whether the drive pulses each comprise a braking segment, the intensity level of the drive pulses, the duration of each of the drive pulses, the total number of drive pulses in the drive signal, And adjusting the frequency content of each drive pulse of the plurality of drive pulses. The language in this section of energy use and energy saving also applies to and covers power usage and power savings (ie, reduction of power usage). Thus, the language of the features that depend on energy saving settings, energy saving mode, or energy usage in the present application may also be a power saving setting, a power saving mode (i.e., a mode for reducing the use of power) And the like.

In an embodiment, the characteristic of the drive pulse, such as whether the drive pulse includes a kick-in segment, the intensity of the drive pulse, or the amount of time separating the drive pulse from another drive pulse, Based on whether or not the braking segment is included. The braking segment may be used for a haptic actuator having movable components that can continue to move even after the haptic actuator is no longer actuated. Such residual movement may arise, for example, from the inertia of the moving component and / or from the natural oscillation of the moving component. For example, inertia of a moving component in an eccentric rotational mass (ERM) actuator may cause the moving component to continue to rotate for a predetermined time period even after the ERM actuator is no longer being driven. In yet another example, the moving component of the linear resonant actuator LRA may continue to vibrate naturally at the resonant frequency for a predetermined period of time even after the LRA is no longer being driven. This residual vibration may sometimes be referred to as tail oscillation. The residual movement in the haptic actuator may reduce its ability to render sharp or crisp haptic effects, such as a haptic effect intended to mimic the feel of button clicking. To render a sharp haptic effect, the actuator may not only actuate the movable component, but may also need to quickly stop the movable component within a short duration or time period.

In an embodiment, the drive pulse may comprise a braking segment used to stop the residual movement. In some case, the braking segments can be a driving pulse drive segment 180 and the phase difference ^o (out of phase) of the drive signal, which may be so that the braking segments of the opposite polarity and the driving segment. Switching the polarity (e.g., from a positive voltage to a negative voltage) to transition from a drive segment to a damping segment may consume a significant amount of energy. Thus, the haptic-enabled device may skip the braking segment from the drive pulse to save energy. In addition, when no braking segment exists to actively weaken the residual movement in the actuator, the haptic-capable device lowers the intensity of the driving segment of the driving pulse of the driving signal, skips the kick-in segment from the driving pulse, And / or attempt to compensate by driving pulses further apart in time. These measurements can lower the initial acceleration of the movable component of the haptic actuator and thus the residual movement of the movable component can dampen more quickly and naturally to an unrecognizable level within an acceptable amount of time without the braking segment.

In an embodiment, omitting the brake segment from the drive pulse may be considered to be an operation in the brake-disable mode. For example, a haptic-capable device may receive a command to generate a haptic effect, such as a command that is generated by a game or other application that the haptic-capable device executes on the haptic-enabled device. The command describes a desired movement of the movable component in the haptic actuator as a function of time, e.g., a time, a high level description of the haptic effect (e.g., 500 msec pulse) or a low level description of the haptic effect Which may be referred to as a force profile or an actuation profile). The haptic-enabled device may be configured to generate a drive signal based on the description of the haptic effect. This process may be referred to as a haptic effect and may rely on algorithms and / or software libraries. In standard rendering, a haptic-capable device may attempt to generate a haptic effect as close as possible to a force or actuator profile. When a force or an actuation profile involves sharp effects (e.g., sudden acceleration or sudden stop of a movable component), the haptic-capable device may automatically detect the haptic effect using the brake segments in the drive signal, It can operate in the braking mode. For example, on an Extended ERM Support (EES) platform, a haptic-enabled device can use automatic braking to predict and control when the spin mass does not spin or spin. In this embodiment, when energy needs to be saved, the haptic-capable device can use a less accurate rendering that does not use any of the braking segments in the drive signal, rendering the haptic effect as sharp or stiff as a standard render can do. This situation can be considered a braking-disable mode or a braking-disabled rendering. The type of rendering selected (e.g., standard rendering or braking-disabled rendering) may be part of the haptic effect setting determined by the haptic-capable device. The haptic effect setting can be used to control how the drive signal is generated.

In an embodiment, the availability of braking-disabled rendering as well as standard rendering may also provide additional flexibility to the programmer or haptic effects designer. For example, a haptic-capable device may be configured so that the code in an application (e.g., a game) is generated via an API, such that the haptic-enabled device uses a braking- (Or API) that instructs the haptic-enabled device to select a type of rendering based on whether the energy needs to be saved to the haptic-capable device. These APIs can provide programmers or haptic effects designers with more control over when the auto-braking algorithm is used. In an embodiment, if the haptic-enabled device does not receive commands relating to the type of rendering to use, it may by default operate in an automatic braking mode and in a mode where it uses standard rendering to generate a haptic effect.

In an embodiment, when the haptic-enabled device determines that it needs to conserve energy, it adjusts the intensity of the drive pulses, regardless of whether the drive pulses include their respective braking segments, To skip their respective kick-in segments, and / or to separate drive pulses further in time. In an embodiment, adjustment of the intensity or duration of the drive pulses may be independent of whether braking is used.

In an embodiment, the haptic-capable device may alternatively or additionally save energy by selecting a haptic effect that has reduced complexity and / or by choosing which haptic actuator is used to generate the haptic effect. More complex haptic effects need to be rendered with higher levels of sharpness or stiffness, which may require braking to achieve. By selecting a haptic effect that reduces complexity, such as less sensitive or less stiff haptic effects, the haptic-enabled device may skip the use of braking to conserve energy.

In an embodiment, the energy saving setting may indicate whether the haptic-enabled device needs to conserve energy. The energy saving setting may be, for example, the remaining amount of energy stored in the battery or other energy storage device (e.g., a capacitor) of the haptic-capable device, the energy usage rate by the haptic- An estimated level of availability of an external energy source in a future time period for charging the device, and user preferences for saving energy in the haptic-capable device.

In an embodiment, the haptic-capable device may determine an energy availability level that estimates the availability of an external energy source for charging an energy storage device (e.g., a battery) of the haptic-capable device. The estimated availability of the external energy source is based on contextual information, such as the geographic location of the haptic-enabled device, the moving speed of the haptic-enabled device, and the amount of time that has elapsed since the energy storage device of the haptic- can do. In one embodiment, the geographic location of the haptic-enabled device may indicate whether the device is in an indoor or outdoor location. In an embodiment, the haptic-capable device may have a Global Positioning System (GPS) device, and the haptic-capable device may use a GPS device to determine the geographic location. If the haptic-enabled device is located in an outdoor location (e.g., on a camping trip), the estimated availability of the external energy source, if present, may be low. In another embodiment, a high travel speed may indicate that the haptic-enabled device is in the vehicle (e.g., in the vehicle), wherein the estimated availability of the external energy source is such that the haptic- Which can be deduced to be lower. In yet another embodiment, if a haptic-enabled device determines that it is generally charged every 24 hours and that a battery of the haptic-capable device has passed over a 24 hour period since the last charge, then the haptic- It can be inferred that the user does not have access to an external energy source.

FIG. 1A illustrates a haptic-enabled device 100 and external energy sources 150 and 160. FIG. The haptic-capable device 100 may be a mobile phone, tablet computer or any other type of computer as shown in FIG. 1A, a wearable device such as a smart watch or headphones, a game console controller, or any other haptic- Lt; / RTI > In an embodiment, the haptic-capable device 100 may be powered by a battery or any other energy storage device (e.g., a capacitor). External energy sources 150 and 160 may be used to charge the battery of the haptic-capable device 100 or any other energy storage device external to, for example, the haptic- It can be energy sources. The external energy source 150 may be an electrical outlet and the external energy source 160 may be a portable battery external to the haptic-

FIG. 1B provides a block diagram of a haptic-capable device 100. FIG. The block diagram illustrates components of the haptic-capable device 100. The components include a control unit 102, haptic actuators 104, 106 and 108, a user input device 109, an energy storage device 110, a charging interface 112, an information storage device 114, 116). In an embodiment, the control unit 102 is configured to control the haptic actuators 104, 106, and 108. For example, the control unit 102 may control the signal generation circuit 103, which generates a drive signal (e.g., applied) communicated to one or more of the haptic actuators 104, 106, . The signal generating circuit 103 may be a circuit that is part of the control unit 102, or may be separate from the control unit 102, as shown in FIG. In an embodiment, the control unit 102 may be a microprocessor, a programmable logic array (PLA), a microprocessor, a microprocessor, a microprocessor, , A field programmable gate array (FPGA), or any combination thereof. In an embodiment, the control unit 102 may also be a general-purpose processor for a haptic-enabled device.

The haptic-enabled device of the embodiments may comprise only one haptic actuator, or may include a plurality of haptic actuators, as illustrated in Fig. 1B. In an embodiment, the haptic actuators 104, 106, and 108 of FIG. 1B may be the same type of haptic actuators, or may be different types of haptic actuators. Embodiments of haptic actuator types include, but are not limited to, eccentric rotational mass (ERM) actuators, linear resonant actuators (LRA), solenoid resonant actuators (SRA), and smart material based haptic actuators such as piezoelectric actuators, electroactive polymer Any other haptic actuator. The actuators in the haptic actuators 104, 106, and 108 may be located in any area of the haptic-capable device. For example, it may be a body actuator embedded within the body of the haptic-capable device, or a target actuator coupled to a particular portion of the haptic-capable device 100 to provide a kinesthetic haptic effect to that portion.

In an embodiment, the energy storage device 110 of the haptic-capable device 100 may be a lithium ion battery, any other type of battery, or any other type of energy storage device. The energy storage device 110 may be located within the housing of the device 100, or may be attached to the housing of the device 100. The energy storage device 110 may be charged via a charging interface 112, such as a USB or Lightning® interface.

In an embodiment, the user input device 109 may be, for example, a touch screen, touch pad, microphone, and / or keyboard configured to receive user input. In an embodiment, the user input may be received via the communication interface 116, such as an IEEE 802.15 (Bluetooth®) or an IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi®) interface. As discussed in more detail below, user input may be used to affect energy saving settings.

In an embodiment, the information storage deice 114 may be a solid state drive (SSD), a hard disk, or any other type of information storage device. The information that may be stored on the information storage device 114 in this embodiment may include a profile to be used in determining whether the energy usage is to be reduced and / or how to decrease when the control unit 102 generates haptic effects . The profiles may include, for example, an energy storage device management profile 114a, an application profile 114b, a user profile 114c, and an actuator profile 114d. These profiles are discussed in more detail below.

FIG. 2 illustrates a flow chart illustrating the steps of a method 200 for generating a haptic effect. The steps may be performed, for example, by the control unit 102 of the haptic-capable device 100. In an embodiment, the method 200 may begin at step 202, wherein the control unit 102 determines an energy availability level for the haptic-capable device. The energy availability level may indicate the level of energy available for the haptic-enabled device within a future time period (e.g., a future 12 hour period or a 24 hour period). In some cases, the method 200 is performed by a haptic-enabled device powered by a battery or other energy storage device. In these cases, determining the energy availability level may include providing energy to the haptic-enabled device within an energy level of the energy storage device, an energy usage rate for the energy storage device, and / or a future time period to charge the energy storage device If so, the estimated availability level of the external energy source. The value of the future time period may be predetermined and fixed (e.g., preset at 24 hours), or may be calculated and updated by a haptic-capable device (e.g., control of the haptic- Calculated by the unit). In an embodiment, the value of a future time period (e.g., 24 hours) may need to be determined by how quickly the external energy source needs to be available before the unique energy storage device 110 of the haptic- It can roughly correspond to whether. For example, a value of a future time period may correspond to an estimated duration for which the energy storage device 110 is expected to be able to provide energy to the haptic-capable device 100 by itself. As a more specific example, the energy storage device 110 may be a battery with a full battery life of 24 hours, where the total battery life is a fully charged battery (i.e., when the battery is in a 100% state of charge (SoC) Refers to how long energy can be provided to the haptic-capable device 100 during average use, during high energy use, or some other type of energy usage scenario. In this example, the future time period may be a fixed value that is simply the same as the total battery life of 24 hours, regardless of the current energy level of the energy storage device 110. [ Alternatively, the future time period may be a value calculated based on the total battery life and current energy level. For example, if the current energy level of the energy storage device 110 is, for example, 50% SoC, the future time period can be calculated by multiplying the current energy level by the total battery life (i.e., 50% x 24 hours = 12 hours). In one example, the value of the future time period can be in the range of 1-2 hours, 2-8 hours, 8-12 hours, and 12-24 hours.

In an embodiment, the energy level of the battery is a charge state (SoC) having a value between 0% and 100% as the estimated amount of time the battery's energy will last (e.g., 2 hours) . ≪ / RTI > The rate of energy use for a battery can be expressed, for example, by the number of milliwatts (mW) the haptic-enabled device is currently consuming, or it can be expressed as the estimated amount of time the energy of the battery will last . The estimated availability of the external energy source, if present, can be expressed, for example, as a probability value (e.g., 75%) or any other value. As discussed above, the above values may be used, collectively or separately, to determine the energy availability level for the haptic-capable device. In an embodiment, the determined energy availability level may be expressed as a value selected from "high "," intermediate ", or "low" In an embodiment, if the energy availability level does not account for the estimated availability of an external energy source to provide energy to the haptic-capable device, then the energy availability level within the future time period is simply equal to the current energy level of the energy storage device . In an embodiment, if the energy availability level considers the estimated availability of an external energy source to charge the energy storage device, the energy availability level may be equal to the amount of energy that is assumed to be available from the external energy source in a future time period, (E.g., based on an estimated 10,000 mWh available from an external battery, or based on an "unlimited" amount available from the outlet).

In an embodiment, the energy storage device management profile (e.g., profile 114a) includes a current energy level of the energy storage device (e.g., device 110), a list of times the energy storage device is charged, Information about the amount of time that has elapsed since the device was last charged, or any other information regarding the energy storage device.

In step 204, the control unit may determine an energy saving setting for the haptic-capable device. The determination may be based on at least one of (i) an energy availability level determined in step (202), and (ii) an input received by the haptic-capable device to control energy saving settings. In an embodiment, the energy saving setting may include a plurality of modes, for example, a normal mode indicating that energy need not be saved within a future time period (e.g., within the next 12 hours period) (E. G., A medium energy saving mode and an ultra-energy saving mode) that indicate that there is a need to < / RTI > In an embodiment, after a future time period expires, the energy saving settings can be determined again, can remain unchanged, or can be reset to some default value.

In an embodiment, the control unit (e.g., unit 102) may determine an energy saving setting based on whether the energy availability level falls below a defined threshold or below a defined threshold. The threshold (s) may be defined, for example, in the energy storage device management profile 114a. Exemplary thresholds or thresholds include a value of "low", a value of 30%, a value of 20%, or a value of the remaining battery time of 30 minutes. If the threshold has not been reached, the control unit sets the energy saving setting to the normal mode unless overridden by the input (e.g., user input) received by the haptic-capable device to control the energy saving setting . When the threshold is reached, the control unit 102 may set the energy saving setting to the energy saving mode (unless overridden by the same input as the user input, as mentioned above). When the haptic-enabled device has multiple energy saving modes, different thresholds may trigger different energy saving modes. For example, an energy availability level of "intermediate" may trigger a moderate energy saving mode, while a "low" energy availability level may trigger an ultra energy saving mode. As mentioned above, the determination of the energy saving settings for the haptic-enabled device may also be based on the input received by the haptic-capable device to control the energy saving settings. The input may be a user input received from a user input device (e.g., device 109) or a communication interface (e.g., interface 116). The input can identify the energy saving settings required by the user and can override the decision based on the energy availability level or otherwise affect it.

In step 206, the control unit determines, based on the energy saving setting, whether to generate a haptic effect in the braking mode or to generate a haptic effect in a non-braking (e.g., braking-disable) ≪ / RTI > decision or selection. For example, a normal mode that does not require energy saving may correspond to a braking mode, and an energy saving mode may correspond to a braking-disable mode. In some cases, such determination may be made in response to a command to generate a haptic effect. In some cases, such a determination may be made (i.e., periodically) independent of these commands, and thus the control unit may have already determined which mode to use when such a command is received. In addition, as discussed above, a software library used to generate haptic effects may provide an API as an interface between programmers using the software library and the functionality of the software library. The API may provide an option for energy conscious at the time of generating the haptic effects, including a command to cause the programmer to call step 206.

In step 208, in response to a determination or selection in step 206 to generate a haptic effect in the braking mode, the control unit sends the haptic actuator a drive pulse with the drive segment preceding the brake segment, To generate a haptic effect. Alternatively, in step 210, in response to the determination in step 206 to generate a haptic effect in the braking-disable mode, the control unit may be configured to apply a drive pulse having a drive segment and not having a brake segment But may be configured to communicate in other ways.

In an embodiment, the haptic effect may be associated with a specific command for generating a haptic effect. For example, an application (e.g., a gaming application or a video application) running on a haptic-enabled device may issue a software command to output a haptic effect. The software command may be, for example, a haptic command defined in a software library or API. The haptic command may be issued for a low-level application executing on a control unit (e.g., unit 102) of a haptic-enabled device, which generates a drive signal based on the haptic command, Can be applied to haptic actuators. If the application issues multiple, separate haptic commands, the resulting output of the one or more haptic actuators of the haptic-capable device may be regarded as their respective separate haptic effects. In another embodiment, if the control unit uses the algorithm multiple times in response to a plurality of separate haptic commands, the resulting output from each use of the algorithm may be considered a separate haptic effect.

Figure 3A illustrates a first drive signal 300 consisting of 40 msec drive pulses 301. [ Generally speaking, the drive signal may be any voltage or current waveform that may be applied to the actuator, for example. The drive pulse may be a nonzero portion of the waveform following the period of the zero voltage (e.g., 100 or 500 milliseconds) and preceding the period of the zero voltage (e.g., 100 milliseconds). The drive signal may have only one drive pulse, or it may have a plurality of drive pulses that are separated by a period of substantially zero voltage or current.

3B shows the drive pulse 301 of the first drive signal 300 including the drive segment 302 and the braking segment 304. The drive pulse 302 is shown in Fig. The drive segment 302 may be configured to actuate a movable component of, for example, an actuator (e.g., an ERM actuator) to output a haptic effect. In an embodiment, the drive segment 302 of the drive pulse 301 may include a kick-in segment 302A. The kick-in segment 302A, in an embodiment, may be a pulse segment at the beginning of the drive segment 302 and having a higher amplitude than the remainder of the drive segment 302. [ The kick-in segment 302A may be used to increase the initial acceleration of a movable component (e.g., a rotational mass or a piezoelectric element) of the actuator (e.g., static To relieve friction).

In an embodiment, the braking segment 304 may be configured to brake the movable component of the haptic actuator, for example, by acting on the inertia or natural vibration of the movable component. The inertial or natural vibration may eventually decay to an unrecognizable level without the braking segment 304, but the extended damping period may deprive the haptic effect of a stiff or sharp sensation. A sharp or stiff sensation may be desirable, for example, to simulate the depression of a mechanical button on a haptic-enabled device. In an embodiment, the braking segment 304 may be a segment of the pulse 301 that is opposite to the polarity of the drive segment 302. In an embodiment, the braking segments are driven segment with opposite phase of the drive pulse may be a segment of the driving pulse (e.g., 180 ^o phase difference).

Figure 3c and 3d is to provide an embodiment of a drive pulse having a drive segment and a driven segment with a phase difference of 180 ^o braking segment. More specifically, FIG. 3C illustrates a drive signal 310 consisting of a drive pulse 311. Fig. 3D illustrates that the drive pulse 311 includes a drive segment 312 and a braking segment 314. The drive segment 312 may be configured to actuate a movable component of an actuator, such as a linear resonant actuator, to output a haptic effect. The drive segment 312 may have the form of a square wave, sinusoidal wave, or any other wave shape as illustrated in Figure 3d. It may have a resonant frequency of the actuator, a frequency that is less than the resonant frequency, or a frequency that matches the frequency that is larger than the resonant frequency. The braking segment 314 may be in phase with the drive segment 312. The braking segment 314 also has the form of a square wave, sinusoidal wave, or any other wave shape as shown in Figure 3d. It may also have a frequency that matches the resonant frequency of the actuator, or it may have a frequency that is different from the resonant frequency.

Figures 3e and 3f show the vibrations caused by the drive signal. More specifically, the waveforms in Figs. 3e and 3f may represent, for example, a measured force profile or other measurement of the oscillating motion of the movable component or of the oscillating surface. The vibration of Figure 3e may correspond to the haptic effect generated using a drive signal that does not include a brake segment. In this embodiment, the vibration may include residual vibration following the main vibration. The residual vibration may arise from the natural vibration of the movable component or vibration surface. The vibration in Figure 3f may correspond to a haptic effect generated using a drive signal comprising the brake segment (s). In Fig. 3F, the haptic effect can eliminate or substantially reduce the presence of any residual vibrations.

In an embodiment, any of the waveforms in Figures 3A-3D may be dynamically generated by the control unit, or stored in an information storage device. For example, drive segment 302 and brake segment 304 may each be stored as a waveform in an information storage device. The control unit may have an automatic braking mode in which it includes a braking segment 304 by default in the drive signals to be applied to the actuator. The control unit may switch to a braking-disable mode which excludes the braking segment 304 from the drive signals to be applied to the actuator.

In an embodiment, the drive signal may comprise a plurality of pulses. For example, FIG. 4A illustrates a drive signal 400 comprising three pulses 401, 411, and 412. Each of the pulses in FIG. 4A may comprise a drive segment and a brake segment. Similarly, FIG. 4B shows a drive signal 430 comprising three pulses 431, 441, and 451. Each of the drive pulses of Figure 4B also includes a drive segment and a brake segment.

As discussed above, the haptic effect may be generated in a non-braking mode (e.g., braking-disable mode) to save energy. In non-braking (e.g., braking-disable mode), the drive signal may omit any braking segment. For example, FIG. 5A illustrates a drive signal 500 having two drive pulses 501 and 502. The drive pulses 501 and 502 have only their drive segments and do not have a braking segment. Similarly, FIG. 5B shows a drive signal 530 having two drive pulses 532, 542 having only their respective drive segments and no braking segment.

In an embodiment, the braking-disabling mode may be a more specific form of the non-braking mode. More specifically, the generation of the brake segment for the haptic actuator in the haptic-enabled device may be performed by default, or may be omitted by default. In the situation where the braking segment is created by default, the non-braking mode is a computer-readable mode in which the control unit (e.g., control unit 102) explicitly suppresses or otherwise disables the default generation of the braking segment And a braking-disable mode for executing commands. In the situation where the brake segment is omitted by default, the non-braking mode may simply involve the control unit performing a decision not to generate a brake segment.

As discussed above, when a crystal is performed to produce a haptic effect in a braking mode, the control unit may use a kick-in segment (e.g., a kick-in segment 302A in the drive segment of the drive pulse of the drive signal ) May be configured to increase the initial acceleration of the movable component of the actuator, but the kick-in segment may extend the natural oscillation or other residual movement of the movable component. Kick-in segments are included because such natural oscillation or residual movement can be prevented or substantially reduced by utilizing the presence of the braking segment. If the haptic effect is being generated in the non-braking mode, the kick-in segment may be omitted because no braking segment exists to limit the residual movement of the movable component. In such a situation, a kick-in segment may be omitted to prevent a movable component from building too much inertia, which may extend unwanted residual movement. Thus, when (i) a selection or a decision is made to produce a haptic effect in the braking mode, the control unit can be configured to include a kick-in segment within the drive segment of the drive pulse, (ii) When a selection or decision is made to produce an effect, the control unit is further configured to refrain from including any kick-in segments in the drive segment of the drive pulse. In another embodiment, the kick-in segment may be included in the drive segment of the drive pulse even if the brake segment is not included in the drive pulse.

In an embodiment, the control unit may be configured to control aspects of haptic effect generation, including aspects other than braking, based on energy saving settings. For example, the control unit may determine at least one of the intensity (e.g., amplitude) of the drive segment of the drive pulse used to generate the haptic effect, and the duration of the drive segment of the drive pulse used to generate the haptic effect . For example, different intensity levels (e.g., peak-to-peak amplitudes) or different pulse durations may each be assigned to a normal mode, a medium energy saving mode, and an ultra-energy saving mode. In other words, the energy saving can be achieved by reducing the intensity of the driving pulse of the driving signal or by reducing the duration of the driving pulse. In an embodiment, adjustment of the intensity or duration of the drive pulses may be independent of whether braking is used or not. In an embodiment, adjustment of the intensity or duration may compensate for the use or omission of braking. For example, when the control unit selects or determines to use the non-braking mode, it can control the residual vibration by using drive pulses with reduced intensity or reduced duration. In an embodiment, the intensity of the drive segment of the drive pulse can be reduced by having the nonzero slope ramp down. The non-ramp or flat version of the drive pulse is, for example, a 5V rectangular pulse. An embodiment of the ramp-down version of the pulse is a pulse that starts at 10V and ramps down to a slope of 5V, for example, from 0.2V / msec to 25msec. In an embodiment, the intensity of the drive segment of the drive pulse may be reduced by limiting the maximum power (e.g., energy per unit time) supplied to the haptic actuator.

In an embodiment, the control unit may be configured to generate a haptic effect for simulating the texture, and the control unit may be configured to control the level of complexity of the texture to be simulated by the haptic effect, based on the energy saving setting . In some cases, in order to simulate a relatively complex texture, the haptic effect may need to be generated by sharp or stiff movement from the actuator. This may entail the need to use kick-in segments to increase acceleration in the actuator and braking segments to further stop motion in the actuator. By instead making a decision to simulate a less complex texture, a haptic-enabled device can avoid the need to use kick-in segments and brake segments.

In an embodiment, the control unit is configured to apply or communicate a drive signal comprising a plurality of drive pulses to a haptic actuator of the haptic-capable device. In some cases, when the haptic-enabled device is in the braking mode, the drive signal may be a first drive signal that all drive pulses of the plurality of drive pulses may include a braking segment, as illustrated in Figures 4A and 4B. have. In some cases, when the haptic-enabled device is in the non-braking mode, the drive signal is such that the braking segment is omitted by the control unit from all of the drive pulses of the plurality of drive pulses, as illustrated in Figures 5A and 5B And may be a second drive signal. In other cases, when the haptic-enabled device is in the non-braking mode, the control unit may skip the braking segment from only a portion of the plurality of drive pulses.

In an embodiment, the control unit is configured to control the total number of drive pulses of the drive signal applied to the haptic actuator within a predetermined time unit, based on the energy saving setting. The time unit may, in this embodiment, be the total duration of the drive signal (e. G., Drive signal 400) for rendering a particular haptic effect. In this embodiment, when the energy saving setting is in the normal mode, the control unit may generate more drive pulses (e.g., three pulses spaced by 40 msec) within the time unit allocated to the drive signal, Lt; / RTI >

When the energy saving setting is in the energy saving mode, the control unit can be configured to generate or otherwise apply less drive pulses (e.g., two pulses spaced 80 msec) within a time unit. Using fewer driving pulses within a time unit may result in energy savings. This technique may similarly be independent of whether the braking mode is used and may supplement the use or omission of braking. More specifically, using fewer driving pulses may result in pulses being spaced further apart in time (e.g., 80 msec spacing). Thus, there is more time for the residual movement from one pulse to naturally decay before the next pulse starts. In such a scenario, the use of braking may be less necessary, and the drive pulses therein may omit braking segments, as illustrated in Figures 5A-5B. An example of a haptic effect resulting from using fewer driving pulses is illustrated in Figure 6a. 6A shows a haptic effect that may include two oscillation pulses corresponding to each of two drive pulses. Each vibration pulse exhibits residual vibration (tail oscillation) due to the omission of the braking segment. Further, when the energy saving setting indicates that energy need not be saved, the haptic-capable device may select a braking mode that uses the brake segments in the drive pulses. By comparison, the use of more drive pulses in the drive signal may cause the drive pulses to be spaced closer together in time, as illustrated in Figures 4A-4B. In such a scenario, the residual movement from each pulse may need to be damped or removed faster. Thus, the braking segment can be combined with the use of more drive pulses, as shown in Figures 4A-4B. An example of the haptic effect resulting from these drive pulses is illustrated in Figure 6B, which shows three oscillation pulses. As illustrated in Figure 6B, each vibration pulse may have substantially reduced or eliminated residual vibration due to use of the braking segment.

In an embodiment, the control unit can control the frequency content of each drive pulse of the plurality of drive pulses of the drive signal based on the energy saving setting. For example, when the energy saving setting is in the energy saving mode, the control unit may apply a driving pulse including a single frequency such as a sinusoidal pulse at, for example, 100 Hz. If the energy saving setting is in the normal mode, the control unit may apply a drive pulse comprising a plurality of frequencies, such as a sum of a first sinusoidal pulse of 100 Hz and a second sinusoidal pulse of 200 Hz. This embodiment can be used, for example, with high-resolution (HD) actuators. The HD actuator may be an actuator having mechanical or other forms of dampening to reduce residual movement in the actuator so that the actuator receives a strong drive segment from the drive pulse and even controls the residual movement in the actuator without a brake segment can do. Thus, in one embodiment, the control unit may apply to the HD actuator a drive pulse that includes at least the resonant frequency of the HD actuator, or only the resonant frequency of the HD actuator. When the energy saving setting is in the normal mode, the control unit may include one or more additional frequencies within the drive pulse.

In an embodiment in which the haptic-enabled device comprises a plurality of haptic actuators, the control unit may be configured to select a haptic actuator from among the plurality of haptic actuators to generate a haptic effect, the selection being made by the energy- It is based on usage. In this embodiment, the plurality of haptic actuators may consume or require different amounts of energy to produce a haptic effect. A higher drive voltage may be applied to the ERM actuator relative to a particular actuator, e.g., a piezoelectric actuator, so that it may be necessary to achieve movement of identical or comparable amounts of their respective movable components. Information about the energy usage of the haptic actuators may be stored, for example, in an actuator profile (e.g., profile 114d) that describes the energy usage of one or more haptic actuators. When the energy saving setting is in the energy saving mode, the control unit can, for example, select a haptic actuator with the lowest energy usage.

In an embodiment, the energy saving setting may affect how many haptic actuators are driven in response to the event. In normal mode, certain events in an application (e.g., a communication application or a game application) may trigger an output from a plurality of haptic actuators, each of which may receive a drive signal. The output from the plurality of haptic actuators can be regarded as a haptic effect, or a combination of a plurality of respective haptic effects. In the energy saving mode, the same event can trigger the output from a smaller number of haptic actuators (e.g., only one actuator).

In an embodiment, when the energy saving setting is in the energy saving mode, the control unit may be more selective in when to generate the haptic effect. In this embodiment, the control unit can select which events trigger the haptic effect based on the energy saving settings. In some cases, this can be done at the application level. For example, the control unit may execute an application such as a game application, and the code in the application may select which events trigger the haptic effect based on the energy saving setting. In an embodiment, an application profile (e.g., an application profile 114b, which may be a game profile), may specify a priority for different events in a game or other application. If the energy saving setting is in the normal mode, the control unit can be configured to recognize all events in the application profile as triggers for the haptic effect. When the energy saving setting is in the energy saving mode, the control unit can be configured to recognize only high priority events as triggers for the haptic effect and ignore all other (e. G., Low priority) events .

As another example, an application may be a communications application, such as social media or other communications applications. For example, the haptic-capable device may be configured to receive communications associated with respective user identities (e.g., text messages from other user's devices, or social media posts associated with other users) (E.g., receipt of a text message may be handled as a communication event, and notification of a social media post may be handled as another communication event). Energy saving settings can affect which events in a social media or communication application trigger the haptic effect. When the energy saving setting has a first value (e. G., Normal mode), the control unit may be configured to recognize all communication events associated with any user identity to trigger the haptic effect. For example, the arrival of a text message may be a communication event that triggers a haptic effect. When the energy saving setting has a second value (e. G., Energy saving mode), the control unit recognizes communication events associated with the determined set of one or more user identities to trigger the haptic effect and determines whether the haptic effect is triggered It may be configured to ignore all other communication events for determination. For example, a user profile (e.g., profile 114c) stored on the haptic-enabled device may have user identities of the social media friends of the user of the haptic-enabled device. The control unit recognizes communication events (e.g., receipt of text messages) from any social media buddies identified in the user profile to trigger a haptic effect, and all other events for the purpose of determining whether to generate a haptic effect And may be configured to ignore text messages.

As discussed above, the energy saving setting can be used to control the generation of the haptic effect regardless of whether braking is used, or with the use or omission of braking. FIG. 7 provides a flow diagram of a method 700 for controlling the generation of a haptic effect, either on the basis of or without the use of braking. Method 700 includes generating a haptic effect by providing a haptic actuator having a haptic actuator configured to generate a haptic effect, an energy storage device configured to provide energy to the haptic actuator to generate a haptic effect, and a control unit coupled to the haptic actuator in communication, Lt; / RTI > device. In an embodiment, the method 700 begins at step 702, where the control unit (e.g., unit 102) of the haptic capable device determines the energy availability level for the haptic-capable device. The energy availability level may represent the level of energy available for the haptic-capable device within a future time period. In an embodiment, determining the energy availability level may include determining (i) the energy level of the energy storage device or its energy utilization rate, and (ii) any external energy source for providing energy to the haptic- Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 > of: < / RTI >

As discussed above, the determination of the estimated solubility level of the external energy source may include, for example, (i) the geographic location of the haptic-enabled device, (ii) the travel rate of the haptic- Lt; RTI ID = 0.0 > of the < / RTI > available device. The geographic location of the haptic-capable device may indicate, for example, whether the device is located indoors or outdoors, or whether the device is at a home location or a rectal location. When the device is located indoors, and especially when the device is in the home position, the estimated availability level of the external energy source may be high. If the device is outdoors, the estimated availability level of the external energy source may be low.

In an embodiment, the moving speed of the haptic-enabled device may provide an indication as to whether the user of the device is moving or transiting, while there may be only limited access to the charging source. In this embodiment, if the travel speed is greater than the average walking speed (e.g., 3 miles per hour) or other threshold, the estimated availability level of the external energy source may be low.

In an embodiment, the amount of time since the energy storage device was last charged may be compared to any pattern of charge times for the haptic-capable device. For example, the user can charge the battery of the haptic-enabled device on a daily basis, and such information about the pattern of charge times (e.g., Wednesday 9 PM, Thursday 9:10 PM, etc.) Profile (e. G., Profile 114a). The control unit accesses the energy storage device management profile to determine how much time (e.g., 26 hours) since the haptic-capable device was last charged, how often the haptic-capable device is charged (e.g., about 24 ≪ / RTI > every time). In this example, there may be larger communities where the user of the haptic-enabled device would not have access to an external energy source if the 24 hour period has elapsed since the battery was last charged. In such a scenario, the control unit may lower the estimated availability level of the external energy source.

Returning to Fig. 7, step 702 is a step 702 in which the control unit determines whether the haptic-to-haptic mode is enabled based on at least one of (i) the energy availability level, and (ii) May be preceded by determining 704 an energy saving setting for a possible device. Examples of how energy saving settings are determined are provided above.

In step 706, the control unit may be configured to control the generation of the haptic effect in the haptic-enabled device based on the energy saving setting. As discussed above, controlling the generation of a haptic effect may include (i) the availability of the haptic effect in general, or the availability of the haptic effect within a future time period (e.g., within a future time period, (Ii) the intensity of the drive segment of the drive pulse used to generate the haptic effect, and (iii) the duration of the drive segment of the drive pulse used to generate the haptic effect ≪ / RTI >

Other examples of controlling the generation of a haptic effect include reducing the complexity of the texture to be simulated by the haptic effect (when the haptic effect is used to simulate the texture), selecting a particular haptic with low energy usage among the multiple haptic actuators Selecting an actuator, or reducing the number of events perceived to trigger a haptic effect. For example, the events may be communication events (e.g., reception of text messages) from various user identities. When the energy saving setting has a first value (e. G., Normal mode), the control unit may be configured to recognize all communication events associated with any user identity to trigger the haptic effect. When the energy saving setting has a second value (e.g., energy saving mode), the control unit recognizes communication events associated with a set of preferred user identities (e.g., social media buddies) to trigger the haptic effect And ignore all other communication events for the purpose of determining if the haptic effect has been triggered.

While various embodiments have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only and not of limitation, of the invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the appended claims and their equivalents. It will also be appreciated that each feature of each of the embodiments discussed herein, and each reference incorporated herein by reference, may be used in conjunction with features of any other embodiment.

Claims (21)

As a haptic-capable device,
A haptic actuator configured to generate a haptic effect;
An energy storage device configured to provide energy to the haptic actuator to generate the haptic effect; And
And a control unit communicatively coupled to the haptic actuator, the control unit comprising:
Determining a level of energy availability for the haptic-capable device, the level of energy availability representing a level of energy available for a haptic-capable device within a future time period, the future time period being calculated by the control unit, And the determination is based on the energy level of the energy storage device or its energy utilization rate,
determining a energy saving setting for the haptic-capable device based on at least one of (i) the energy availability level, and (ii) an input received by the haptic-capable device for controlling an energy saving setting,
Based on the energy saving setting, determine whether to generate the haptic effect in a braking mode or in a non-braking mode,
Responsive to a determination to generate the haptic effect in the braking mode, the control unit communicates a first drive signal to the haptic actuator to generate the haptic effect, the first drive signal being indicative of Comprising drive pulses having drive segments,
Responsive to a determination to generate the haptic effect in the non-braking mode, the control unit communicates a second drive signal to the haptic actuator to generate the haptic effect, the second drive signal comprising: Comprising a drive pulse having a braking segment only and not having a braking segment. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the control unit is further configured to include a kick-in segment in a drive segment of a drive pulse of the first drive signal when the determination is made to produce a haptic effect in the braking mode, - segment is a pulse segment that is at the beginning of the drive segment and has a higher amplitude than the remaining portion of the drive segment. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the control unit is further configured to refrain from including any kick-in segment in the drive segment of the drive pulse when the decision is made to generate a haptic effect in the non-braking mode. The method according to claim 1,
(I) an intensity of a drive segment of a drive pulse of the first drive signal or a second drive signal used to generate the haptic effect, and (ii) Wherein the controller is further configured to control at least one of a duration of a drive segment of the drive pulse of the first drive signal or a second drive signal used to produce an effect. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the control unit is configured to generate a haptic effect for simulating a texture and the control unit is configured to control a complexity level of a texture to be simulated by the haptic effect based on the energy saving setting, device. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the control unit is configured to apply a plurality of drive pulses to the haptic actuator in each of the first or second drive signals, and the control unit controls, based on the energy saving setting, And to control the total number of drive pulses to apply to the actuator. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the haptic actuator is one of a plurality of haptic actuators of the haptic-capable device and the control unit is further configured to select a haptic actuator from among the plurality of haptic actuators to generate the haptic effect, Based on the energy saving setting. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the haptic effect is generated in response to an event that is perceived by the control unit to trigger the haptic effect and the control unit is configured to control which events trigger the haptic effect based on the energy saving setting Lt; / RTI > device. 9. The method of claim 8,
Wherein the haptic-capable device is configured to receive communications associated with respective user identities and configured to execute a communication application processing the communication as communication events, and when the energy saving setting has a first value, Unit is configured to recognize all communication events associated with any user identity to trigger the haptic effect, and when the energy saving setting has a second value, the control unit is configured to recognize one or more of the user events to trigger the haptic effect, And to ignore all other communication events for recognizing communication events associated with the determined set of identities and for determining whether to trigger the haptic effect. 9. The method of claim 8,
Wherein the haptic-enabled device is configured to execute a game application, and when the energy saving setting has a first value, the control unit recognizes a first event and a second event in the game application to trigger the haptic effect Wherein the control unit is configured to recognize a first event for triggering the haptic effect and to ignore a second event for determining whether to trigger the haptic effect when the energy saving setting has a second value, Wherein the first event is associated with a higher priority level than the second event in a game application profile stored on the haptic-capable device. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the control unit is configured to determine the energy availability level based further on an estimated availability level of any external energy source for providing energy to the energy storage device of the haptic- - Available devices. 12. The method of claim 11,
Wherein the control unit is configured to: (i) determine a geographical location of the haptic-capable device, (ii) a moving speed of the haptic-enabled device, and (iii) Wherein the at least one haptic-capable device is configured to determine an estimated availability level of any external energy source based on at least one of the amount of time and the amount of time. 13. The method of claim 12,
Wherein the control unit is configured to determine whether the haptic-enabled device is in an outdoor or indoor position based on a geographic location of the haptic-enabled device, wherein the haptic- Position of the haptic-capable device, wherein the haptic-capable device is configured to determine an estimated availability level of any external energy source for providing energy to the energy storage device of the haptic-capable device. 13. The method of claim 12,
Wherein the control unit is configured to determine whether the haptic-capable device is at a home position or a rectal position based on a geographic location of the haptic enabled device, wherein the haptic- Of the external energy source to provide energy to the energy storage device of the haptic-capable device based on whether the energy storage device is in the haptic-enabled device. As a haptic-capable device,
A haptic actuator configured to generate a haptic effect;
An energy storage device configured to provide energy to the haptic actuator to generate the haptic effect; And
And a control unit communicatively coupled to the haptic actuator, the control unit comprising:
Determining a level of energy availability for the haptic-capable device, the level of energy availability representing a level of energy available for the haptic-capable device in a future time period; and (i) , And (ii) an estimated availability level of any external energy source for providing energy to the haptic-capable device within the future time period, wherein the future time period is based on at least one of the energy usage rate of the control unit Calculated or pre-determined by
determining a energy saving setting for the haptic-capable device based on at least one of (i) the energy availability level, and (ii) an input received by the haptic-capable device to control an energy saving setting,
Wherein the haptic-enabled device is configured to control generation of a haptic effect in the haptic-capable device based on the energy saving setting. 16. The method of claim 15,
Wherein the control unit is configured to: (i) determine a geographical location of the haptic-capable device, (ii) a moving speed of the haptic-enabled device, and (iii) The device is configured to determine an estimated availability level of any external energy source for providing energy to the haptic-capable device based on at least one of the amount of time and the amount of time. 17. The method of claim 16,
Wherein the control unit is configured to determine whether the haptic-enabled device is in an outdoor or indoor position based on a geographic location of the haptic-enabled device, wherein the haptic- Position of the external energy source, based on the estimated availability level of the external energy source. 17. The method of claim 16,
Wherein the control unit is configured to determine whether the haptic-capable device is at a home position or a rectal position based on a geographic location of the haptic enabled device, wherein the haptic- Based on whether or not the external energy source is present in the haptic-capable device. 16. The method of claim 15,
Wherein the control unit is configured to determine, based on the energy saving setting, (i) the availability of the haptic effect in the future time period, (ii) the strength of the drive segment of the drive pulse of the drive signal used to generate the haptic effect, And (iii) a duration of a drive segment of a drive pulse of the drive signal that is used to generate the haptic effect, wherein the haptic- . 16. The method of claim 15,
Wherein the haptic actuator is one of a plurality of haptic actuators in the haptic-capable device, and the haptic-capable device stores a plurality of actuator profiles each representing an energy usage behavior of a respective haptic actuator of the plurality of haptic actuators Wherein the control unit is configured to control generation of the haptic effect by selecting which of the plurality of haptic actuators is to be used to generate the haptic effect based on the energy saving settings and the actuator profiles. Haptic-enabled devices. 16. The method of claim 15,
Wherein the control unit is configured to control haptic effect generation by controlling which events trigger the haptic effect based on the energy saving setting.

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